Butterfly Clips Galore
The early 2000s played a huge role in how celebrity culture influences fashion, and is home to some of the best (and worst) choices we’ve seen to date. While we’re probably not returning to duct tape prom dresses any time soon, the Y2K era had a plethora of fun hairstyles that you can try out today.
1. Crimped Hair
Crimped hair was all the rage in the early 2000s, either used over your entire head or in small sections, depending on the style. It was the precursor to the modern beach wave and could also add a little bit of volume to your style.
2. Choppy Layers
Layering your hair in a choppy style never really declined in popularity, instead showing up in various styles over the years. The early 2000s choppy layers usually included a side-swept bang, with shorter layers framing the face. It also usually involves blow-drying your hair to achieve a bouncy effect.
3. Chunky Highlights
We’ve all seen photos of Christina Aguilera in the early 2000s. The pop princess was known for mixing colors like pink or black into her bleached blonde hair. More subtle versions of this style, if you can call them subtle, include Kelly Clarkson’s popular mix of blonde with darker colors.
banditob from Chicago on Wikimedia
4. Raccoon Stripes
This popular style involves painting horizontal stripes on a section of hair to mimic the pattern of a raccoon's tail. It was incredibly popular in late-2000s emo styles and has recently made a reappearance among the younger generations.
5. Zig-Zag Part
Have you ever looked at your hair part and thought, “I need to make this a little edgier.” Have no fear! The zig-zag part is for you. It was quite popular for its unique look, and could be combined with ponytails, pigtails, or even for wearing your hair down.
6. Deep Side Part
There’s a reason why millennials get clowned so much for loving the side part. Aside from it being the precursor for the sideswept bangs, it was a really cute way to frame your face when you had your hair up.
7. Flipped Bob
Shorter-haired wearers loved the little flip at the end of their hair. It was a bouncy and playful look, and easily achievable with a round brush and a bit of blow-drying. You could often see Gabrielle Union sporting this look in the early 2000s.
Gina Hughes at http://www.techiediva.com/ on Wikimedia
8. Straight-Back Cornrows
Influenced by athletes like Allen Iverson, Rasheed Wallace, and Latrell Sprewell, this simple braid style was worn by both men and women in the early 2000s. The braids were sleek, kept hair off your face, and could be incorporated into a variety of lengths and styles.
9. Pin-Straight Hair
We could also call this crispy hair, since you needed a high-powered flat iron to achieve this look. This style was popular among alternative groups, but was common among any aesthetic during this time. Straight hair also served as a base for any spiky updos or to showcase any crimped sections added to your head.
10. The “Rachel”
This hairstyle was popularized by Jennifer Aniston’s character, Rachel Green. Rachel was often seen with a mid-length cut, face-framing layers, soft side-swept or curtain bangs, a center part, and chunkier highlights. The cut was full of volume and very bouncy - the perfect companion to a bubbly character.
11. Side-Swept Bangs
The early 2000s loved a good side-swept bang. Anyone in an emo subculture would often walk around half blind, while the more preppy style usually just covered one eye. Either way, a side bang was a crucial precursor to the “Bieber flip.”
Courtney Carmody from Trenton, Ohio, Us on Wikimedia
12. Micro Braids
Micro braids were a popular protective style that you could wear in various styles, like ponytails or half-up, half-down. Another popular option was to add curly pieces, or to curl the ends of the braids, known as the “goddess” effect.
13. Antenna Bangs
This style of bangs involved pulling two thin strands from the crown of your head while the rest of your hair was pulled back, usually in a ponytail or a bun. The style was well-loved for its versatility and edge.
14. The Pouf
We all have an experience of continuously misplacing a bobby pin and deflating half of our bump. The pouf was a means of getting your hair off your face, flipping your bangs onto the top of your head, and securing them in place. When you think of the pouf, you probably think of Paris Hilton, Beyoncé, Snookie, and Ashley Tisdale.
15. Spiky Updos
This style was popular among men in the 90s and early 2000s, but is also well-loved on characters like Alice Cullen from the Twilight series. Achieved through a whack of hair gel, a blow dryer, and a dream, you too could look like a member of NSYNC.
16. Fulani Braids
This style of braid involves merging cornrows and box braids, and is often finished with beads or shells attached to the ends, was popularized by Alicia Keys and Beyoncé. The best part is that it’s a protective style, keeping the roots of your hair secure, while still being able to play with parting, curls, and other adornments.
17. Curled And Crimped
It’s truly crazy how much we were doing to our hair on a day-to-day basis. This iconic combo was popularized by Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, and involved crimping certain sections of your hair while curling others. Complete with a sideswept bang and you’re ready for your MySpace profile pic.
18. Piecey Bangs
Not everyone was into the sideswept bang thing, and that's okay. Certain folks preferred a more straight across bang that was usually separated into a couple of sections. We’re not talking about Kiera Knightley’s bangs in Pride and Prejudice, more so Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Scott Pilgrim Versus The World.
The Conmunity - Pop Culture Geek from Los Angeles, CA, USA on Wikimedia
19. Butterfly Clips
Everybody loved these baby clips back in the day, and who can blame them? They were adorable, came in a selection of different colors, and could be used to pin back bangs, either on the side of your head or in a more intricate pattern on top.
20. Spiky Pixie Cuts
These short hairstyles were only for the boldest individuals. The style often had an undercut element, shaved sides, and a whack of pomade to spike out the edges of your hair. Halle Berry and Celine Dion are the two who come to mind when discussing this style.
